History in Colour: Pope Benedict XVI Resigns

by Admin · February 28, 2021

A snapshot from the past, colourised exclusively for The Southern Cross

Today, 28 February, it’s seven years ago that Pope Benedict XVI ended his pontificate, just over two weeks after he unexpectedly announced his renunciation of the papacy in 2013, becoming the first pope to retire on his own initiative since Celestine V in 1294.

Half a century before that, the future Pope Benedict as Fr Joseph Ratzinger (right) served as a peritus, or expert advisor, at the Second Vatican Council. He is seen here in discussion with Cardinal Franz König of Vienna (left)

As the Vatican’s long-serving head of the doctrinal congregation, Cardinal Ratzinger would be regarded as an arch-conservative — but at Vatican II, young Fr Ratzinger, still in his thirties, was seen as being on the progressive side of things. It is said that Fr Ratzinger became a doctrinal conservative in the late 1960s, especially when he observed protesting theology students in Tübingen, Germany, engaging in attitudes he could not understand or approve of.

History in Colour appears in every issue of the Southern Cross magazine.

Subscribe to receive more content like this. There is a range of options – 3,6,12 months and print, digital or a combination subscription to both (for the same price!). Order latest editions or back-copies at R30 (plus R12 p&p) from , or order online for your parish